Susana Castañeda, Patient Services Representative with SLO Public Health Department can assist with Medi-Cal or the Medically Indigent Services Program (MISP). Susana is also a Certified Enrollment Counselor for Covered California health plans. She can be reached at 805-781-4838.

Health Insurance Definitions

A premium is a payment that is made by a consumer, usually monthly, to purchase health insurance.

A co-pay is a pre-specified amount that the consumer pays at the doctor's office, pharmacy, or other health care provider to pay for some of the cost. For example, every time you go to the doctor, you may have a $30 copay. Not all health insurance plans have co-pays.

A deductible is the amount that must be paid by the consumer (out-of-pocket) for health care expenses before insurance covers any of the costs. Insurance plans are usually based on yearly deductible amounts. Each person in a family may have their own deductible, and prescription medicines may have their own deductible. A managed care provider, like CenCal, has a network of providers that patients can see. Patients have to designate a primary care doctor. Then that doctor acts as a gateway for specialized services.